Stay at home mom= no time to workout

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  • sacfrazier
    sacfrazier Posts: 53
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    I am also a stay at home mom and I get that waking up early to workout stinks and working out after they go to bed just sounds too exhausting, but I make time. I don't know how old your children are, but sometimes I wake up at 5 to workout and sometimes I work out while they have "down time." My exercise time is my "time to relax" and although I am not thrilled about not having any down time to myself, I am constantly moving during the day and exhausted come bed time. I have been sleeping better than I have in years. Sometimes I get the kids involved. If you have a Wii or other similar game system, you can get the kids to do some of the dance or fitness games with you. Some of them are a good workout and fun for the kids.
  • sacfrazier
    sacfrazier Posts: 53
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    I am also a stay at home mom and I get that waking up early to workout stinks and working out after they go to bed just sounds too exhausting, but I make time. I don't know how old your children are, but sometimes I wake up at 5 to workout and sometimes I work out while they have "down time." My exercise time is my "time to relax" and although I am not thrilled about not having any down time to myself, I am constantly moving during the day and exhausted come bed time. I have been sleeping better than I have in years. Sometimes I get the kids involved. If you have a Wii or other similar game system, you can get the kids to do some of the dance or fitness games with you. Some of them are a good workout and fun for the kids.
  • kelligonzales
    kelligonzales Posts: 391
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    My girls are 3 and 8 months and I have to wait till they are napping. My oldest is trying grow outta her naps so if she is up I tell her it mommy's workout time. ANd she stays in her room. Lately though I've opting for stressful methods like going for a walk with them instead. Sometimes it's a hassel and i don't have the fight in me. But there is always an answer, you got this!
  • Mommyof4ts
    Mommyof4ts Posts: 15
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    Ive got 4 little ones 6 and under and am a stay at home mom. Ive found little ways to get in exercise while doing normal chores around the house, like doing squats as you take things out of the washer and put them in the dryer, "weight lifting" the basket of laundry as i go up and down the stairs, just little things like that during the day until I can get an hour or so of real working out done, usually when they are napping. But think creatively and im sure you will come up with ways to fit in your exercise!
  • kld4239
    kld4239 Posts: 186 Member
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    Most gyms have a kid's club or something similar for an additional $5-$10 per month. Join the gym and check the kids in for an hour or two a day. It's not being selfish it's getting healthy. You'll be around longer for kids and feel better.
  • Nadyasmom
    Nadyasmom Posts: 281
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    I know the feeling!

    I'm a SAHM/Work from Home mom to 2 little girls--1 and 2 years old.

    My husband is currently out of the country, so I have NO help in the day and no 'me" time.

    I squeeze my workout in most days in the morning. I would LOVE to get up early before they wake up, but no matter what I do, they somehow hear that mommy is up and get up too. So it's better to just stay put in bed and get the sleep than try and sneek it in before. So...

    We have workout time (like another post said). My 2 year old loves to do the stretches with me, and then my one year old loves to crawl on me while i do my abs. Is it hard? Absolutely. DO I long for the day my husband returns and I can get an hour to myself? you bet. But until then, I must be creative.

    Also, both of my girls love to dance, so we often throw on some pumped up music and dance around the living room. They can go forever! And it's definitely a good burn for me. :)

    I think most mom's will agree that working out as a mom may not always be the "traditional" way, but the calories are still burned. ;)

    Now, if only I could figure out how many calories are burned changing a poopy diaper!! :)
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    If your kids aren't in school yet they should probably still be taking a nap during the day. When I can't get to the gym I do some Wii Fit or Just Dance while my kids nap.

    Hahahahahahaha! Okay, I know you were serious... it is just that I've been a SAHM since my now 5 year old was 3 and he has taken very few naps during that time that didn't involve falling asleep in the car.

    He does still have a "rest time" or "quiet time"... but I can't guarantee any uninterrupted time!

    (Okay, not trying to be mean here either, I am actually jealous of mommas with kids who take naps... a friend of mine had kids who napped on up until kindergarten too so I know some kids do... just not mine!)
  • Taras630
    Taras630 Posts: 85
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    I have the same problem! By the time my son goes to sleep im so exhausted. When im working out he wants to be all over me and he'll start crying. If im working out on the xbox kinect he'll go in front me and start dancing. He's 1 by the way. He's definitely a handful, but I get my husband to watch him while I workout and every once in awhile he'll get in my way. Ive learned that ive gotta workout a couple times a day instead of one long workout because my son wants my attention.
  • tonydarkstorm
    tonydarkstorm Posts: 8
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    I may be in a different spectrum with my point of view as 1) a male and 2) im not just at home, but; I do have a hectic schedule and still manage to fit in exercise. My day begins like this wake up at 4am so I can get ready to take my wife to work so we can leave at 5:15 so we can be there before 5:45 ( when she has to clock in ), I eat and do my bicep curls, squats, shoulder presses (all with dumb bells) and my 500 crunches, then once I get home from dropping her off, I get the boys ( my 7 yr old and my 3 yr old ) up and have them go use the bathroom and do what they have to do, while they do that I make their breakfasts ( usually fritata and toast or oatmeal ) and when they are done getting themselves dressed I have them come eat. I then clean up their dishes and have them read aloud until its time to get my older boy on his bus. I get him on the bus and then I play with my 3 year old for until 10:00 am and we watch Lets Make A Deal, then I make my lunch and his lunch around 11:00, we eat, I clean up, I reapeat my morning work out again, he doesnt bother me, he usualy mimics me. I then have to make dinner as my wife has no idea how to cook, so everyone can have a nice dinner ready, I usually make myself something different as im counting my caloric intake. Then around 2:00pm we go to pick my wife up from work as she is done at 2:55pm, then when we get back, I get ready for my job. Me and my wife wait for the bus to drop him off, I go to work from 4pm to 1230am and repeat the process Monday thru Friday, but beings as she works Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday and Sunday, we dont really have a day where we can both chill. My point is, even though im not a stay at home mom, no matter how hectic the day, there is time to exercise.
  • Angel1029
    Angel1029 Posts: 459
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    I'm a SAHM as well and I have a 9, 6 and a 19 month old. My two older are in school and the baby is with me during the day. The way I've made it work was to put myself and the kids on a schedule and be consistent with it. During the summer when they were all here they would workout with me (at home) or be occupied with other things. My 19 month old actually works out with me, I have a lot of workout DVD's (currently doing Turbo Fire) and she loves the music and she just dances right along with me. Also 2 hours is a bit much, I don't even get that in when I go to the gym. But you have to make time and be consistent if you really want to get your workout in.
  • WindmillSong
    WindmillSong Posts: 81 Member
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    My momma used to get all kinds of excersize chasing me around yelling stuff like, "You better not light that!" and "Spit that frog out right now!"

    figure you are getting more than you realise.

    Lol!

    I'm a stay at home mom too-right now it works for me, because my husband can watch my 19 month old while I'm on the treadmill, otherwise I wait until they go to sleep-I am Not a morning person, so I'd rather stay up later and exercise.
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    Okay, now for my real tips. :) I don't think I'd be able to fit 2 hours in a day either but I at least aim for 30-45 minutes. I probably could do more than that if I tried to get up super early before my little boy woke up but I am not that committed yet! Plus my husband is trying to get out of the house for work then and has his own routine in place that me exercising would mess up (not exercising... watching TV... yeah....)

    Anyway... I am fortunate that my 5 year old is old enough to occupy himself for a bit without attention from me. I take advantage of 30 minutes or so (or even 15 sometimes) to do a quick Walk Away the Pounds DVD or some activity on the Wii (I have Wii Fit Plus and Gold's Cardio Gym). He also likes to "coach" me on the Wii Fit or sometimes exercise right beside me, or exercise with me on the walking DVDs. Kids are great weights too... mine is getting too tall for me to pick up much (he is only about 1 1/2 feet shorter than me!) but younger kids love doing Superman flies or being swung up and down and things like that. Let them count reps for you while you do weights. See who can do jumping jacks the longest. Play Simon Says and throw exercise in there (Simon Says... jump up and down 10 times or touch your toes for a count of 10 or do 25 jumping jacks).

    Also, when it was warmer outside I would go out to walk (run?) after supper while my husband did bathtime. That is much easier when it doesn't get dark until 7 or 8 pm though. I loved it because it was some time with just me and my iPod and I got exercise too!
  • Angel1029
    Angel1029 Posts: 459
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    I may be in a different spectrum with my point of view as 1) a male and 2) im not just at home, but; I do have a hectic schedule and still manage to fit in exercise. My day begins like this wake up at 4am so I can get ready to take my wife to work so we can leave at 5:15 so we can be there before 5:45 ( when she has to clock in ), I eat and do my bicep curls, squats, shoulder presses (all with dumb bells) and my 500 crunches, then once I get home from dropping her off, I get the boys ( my 7 yr old and my 3 yr old ) up and have them go use the bathroom and do what they have to do, while they do that I make their breakfasts ( usually fritata and toast or oatmeal ) and when they are done getting themselves dressed I have them come eat. I then clean up their dishes and have them read aloud until its time to get my older boy on his bus. I get him on the bus and then I play with my 3 year old for until 10:00 am and we watch Lets Make A Deal, then I make my lunch and his lunch around 11:00, we eat, I clean up, I reapeat my morning work out again, he doesnt bother me, he usualy mimics me. Then around 2:00pm we go to pick my wife up from work as she is done at 2:55pm, then when we get back, I get ready for my job. Me and my wife wait for the bus to drop him off, I go to work from 4pm to 1230am and repeat the process Monday thru Friday, but beings as she works Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday and Sunday, we dont really have a day where we can both chill. My point is, even though im not a stay at home mom, no matter how hectic the day, there is time to exercise.


    Right on!!!
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    What do you mean, you don't have time? We stay-at-home moms get to make our own schedules. You make time. Get the kids involved, or do it during naptime. If they don't nap, set them up with a coloring book and a snack and a drink and tell them that Mommy's going to do her exercises, and you'll play with them when you're done. Instead of flopping on the couch for your "me" time, turn on a show you like and do some step aerobics while you watch, with pushups and crunches during the commercials. Plop the kids in a stroller or wagon and take a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Lead them in jumping jacks or a fun game of "follow the leader" where you do the craziest dance moves you can think of and they get to copy. If you spend time on the computer during the day (I know I do), trade off some of that time for working out.

    No excuses here. If you want to do this, you'll do this. If you don't, you won't. I used to think I "didn't have time," but you know what I realized? You have the same number of hours in the day as everybody else, and somehow people all over the world are finding time to make these changes, because it's important to them. Make it important in your life! You are worth the time it takes to get healthy! Set a good example for your kids by making health a priority.
  • BrandNewMia
    BrandNewMia Posts: 461
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    I am also a stay at home mom, my son is 4 (also have a daughter age 6, but she's in school). My son knows that I have my exercise time, each and every day. Sometimes he does it with me, like when I was running (Wii Fit) he literally ran circles with me in the living room for 20 mins. Or I lay on my back, he sits on my feet, and I do leg lifts. He likes to dance, so he stands in front of me and does aerobics with me (reduces my chances of stepping on him, though it happens on occasion). Sometimes he sits and watches me, he is an incredible cheer leader - when I stop, he tells me to keep going. But most of the time, he is occupied with something else - his Moon Sand, his room, his lunch, or even the TV. Do I get interrupted during my workout? EVERY TIME. But that's OK! And on the rare occasion that I am home by myself, I work out like a maniac.

    Bottom line - there are no good excuses. If you want to work out, you will find/make the time. Commit to it, and it will happen.
  • gogetter765
    gogetter765 Posts: 10 Member
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    I would definitely either stay up late or get up early. I'm a huge fan of jillian Michaels, I have just about all of her dvd's she has an excellent dvd called 30 day shred. It whips you into shape if you are consistent with it. 3, 20 min. exercise's they are not easy, but you work your way up , from level 1-3. do your children go to school? Or take naps? if you want this, you really have to make the time..Thats all there is to it. Tae- bo is also good, because both of these trainers have you working all your muscles in their dvd's.
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    No excuses here. If you want to do this, you'll do this. If you don't, you won't. I used to think I "didn't have time," but you know what I realized? You have the same number of hours in the day as everybody else, and somehow people all over the world are finding time to make these changes, because it's important to them. Make it important in your life! You are worth the time it takes to get healthy! Set a good example for your kids by making health a priority.

    100000000000% agree!!!!!!!!!
  • Enduranze3
    Enduranze3 Posts: 45 Member
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    I'm a stay at home mom too. I have a 4 month old and he keeps me busy! I try and workout when my husband gets home. Somedays are easier than others. I am also a full time student (take 4 classes online and go to the college for 1) so I have to work that in with cleaning, cooking, and baby. We have stairs in our home so when my son goes down for one of his famous 10 minute naps I try to sneak in a few reps on the stairs.
  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
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    I think there just comes a time when you can't take it any more.....getting in shape becomes a "need" not a "want" .....when you just absolutely have that "moment", then getting up early or finding a way, becomes a necessity. As old and corny as it is, "where there is a will, there is a way"

    The last time I "gave up" working out, I told myself that I preferred to relax when I got home, that I had no time to take care of my fellas if I worked out, never made it to the grocery store, or got the laundry done, etc etc etc.....all excuses.

    Well, I had the "moment" I had NOTHING to wear and had to go buy a pair of bigger pants just to go to work. I felt horrible, tired all the time etc etc etc..................getting healthy and losing some weight to be healthy, became a necessity, it wasn't that I just wanted to look cute, it was a "moment"

    Now, I ALWAYS make time for a work out --- some days it's short, maybe just a 10 minute "burn buns" video, but I do something. Put those babies in a stroller and go for a walk - easy peasy and they will love it.

    If you can make a small goal to wake up early for one week and work out, see how it goes, I think you will be so pleased with the results that getting up early to work out won't seem like such a terrible thing :)
  • BrattyLori
    BrattyLori Posts: 101 Member
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    Hi there! I am SO on your side! I have been getting up at 5 am to work out for almost a year. It is a BLORK sandwich to have to get up so early, but honestly, I've started to enjoy my solitude! "Thank you Dear Lord for "first thing in the morning:" when my children are still safe and cozily asleep! Amen!"

    Again - getting up super early is NOT FUN, except for the fact that those little people are NOT AROUND! Hooray! ;D Good luck and God Bless!

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